An ecumenical transformance: Holy Family parish is pleased to host composer Yosef Kottlerin gathering Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, & Jews to celebrate our common roots while honoring each other’s paths through a prayer so common to us.

There are two ways to participate:
1. Just come to the event itself on May 19th
2. In addition to that, join the event choir, which involves also coming to rehearsal at Holy Family on May 13th, 7:30-9pm.

In the composer’s words: An uplifting journey into song & spirit—accompanied by a rhythmic jazz ensemble & interfaith chorale…Our goal is to connect in a deep way with each other and with all who join us. As we pray the music and sing the prayer, we affirm the power of love to make the world a better place. We envision each concert as a “Transformance” through which we share the transformational power of the Lord’s Prayer as a way to honor our relationships with each other and our world.

Join us in Joyful Song to Celebrate our Common Unity! Wine and cheese will be served

Neighborly Faith Podcast hosts Kevin Singer and Chris Stackaruk searched nationwide for the cutting edge of Evangelical-Catholic ecumenism, the work towards unity among Christians. They traveled to Boston and Chicago to investigate the status and future of Evangelical-Catholic relationships in these cities, interviewing pastors & priests, professors, laypersons, seminarians, and musicians from both traditions. In their extensive and exclusive interviews, they investigate: What can today’s leaders in ecumenism teach us about the future between these two traditions?

Episodes include:

Evangelicals, Catholics, and Jesus’ Call for Unity: How should Christians follow the NT command for the Church to be one as Jesus and the Father are one?”

First Impressions of Evangelicals/Catholics…and Why They Changed: Leaders talk about their first impressions of the other, and how those impressions are changing.

Why is Christian Unity Difficult?: What are the hindrances Evangelicals must overcome in order to engage better with Catholics?

What Does Christian Unity Look Like?What does unity realistically look like in our world today?

Evangelicals and Catholics Working Together: How are Evangelicals and Catholics working together now for the betterment of their churches, communities, and societies?

Rev. Dana Baker, Pastor of Social Justice and Multicultural Ministry at Grace Chapel and UniteBoston Board Member

“Ecumenism is us functioning as a body in which each part is playing its own role, yet there is synergy, conjunction, and coordination. I do what I can to promote a sense of honor and respect across the differences. Not that we would erase our differences but recognize them and be challenged by them. This giving and receiving is in the nature of God the Trinity”
-Kelly Fassett
Executive Director, UniteBoston

Please share this resource as widely as you are able. We’d love for the series to reach all who care about the future of Evangelical-Catholic ecumenism.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an international initiative where Christians worldwide are reminded of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples that “they may be one so that the world may believe” (John 17:21). In 2019, the theme was “Justice, Only Justice, You Shall Pursue,” (Deuteronomy 16:20), and was chosen by Christians in Indonesia. We coordinated a combination of nightly worship services and neighborhood dinners aligned with this theme to focus attention on how we can contribute to acts of unity, justice and mercy in our personal lives and within our communities.

Check out the photos below, and be encouraged by the growing interest in neighborhood-based collaboration among Christians from a variety of backgrounds – for the glory of God and the good of the city.

Night 1: UniteBoston Neighborhood Dinner: North Shore

We had an incredible start to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on Thursday evening with the inaugural North Shore neighborhood dinner, hosted by Peggy Hothem from Our Savior Lutheran Church. 35 people from 16 different churches crowded into her home in South Hamilton. We shared a potluck meal together, discussing our various ministry interests and the justice issues that each of us care about. We then joined our hearts in prayer and sang together “The Church’s One Foundation.” You’ll see there are three photos below – too many people to fit in one picture!

There was a tangible desire shared among the group to partner across our congregations and model a different way of doing “church” that is characterized by unity and reconciliation, rather than conflict and division. A particular highlight of this gathering was the large representation of both Catholics and Protestants. What a great start to the week!

Night 2: The Art of Hope: Creation

This event had art, spoken word, music, and creative performances related to creation, hosted by Hope Fellowship Church in Cambridge. Kiki Densamo, who is a UB Neighborhood Dinner Coordinator in Cambridge, also showed her short film documenting the story of a young man who immigrated from Ethiopia to the US. It was awesome to see how this evening intentionally welcomed people who don’t normally attend church!

Day 3: UniteBoston Neighborhood Brunch: Watertown/Belmont

Rebekah and Stephen Nyakairu from Grace Chapel Watertown graciously opened their home for a delicious brunch and great conversation around racial justice, multiethnic congregations, and reconciliation. Here is a discussion guide that can be used to foster conversation within your own home or community group around racial justice, which incorporates the artwork of Stephanie Irwin.

Night 3: Anchor Prayer and Worship Service

We had a moving prayer service on Saturday evening for the anchor gathering of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – it was great to join together in prayer amidst the snowstorm outside. Thank you to Rev. Amy and St. Paul’s Cathedral for hosting this beautiful time of worship and prayer, as well as all participating clergy and congregants.

The many clergy present represented a variety of traditions, including Catholic, Evangelical, Episcopal, and United Church of Christ.

The Crossing band led us in lively song – jazzing up the traditional Christian hymns and choruses.

Ylisse Bess Washington preached a powerful word, describing that truth telling, truth seeking and living is the beginning of justice, and how we need each other to do this well. Click here to listen to her sermon.

We then lit candles and passed the light from one person to the other – A great symbol of our need to receive from one another in sharing the love of Christ to the world.

The evening concluded with writing our own commitments of how each of us can contribute to acts of justice in our own lives. Each person was invited to take home the card displaying someone else’s commitment to remember our need for one another in the work for justice and to keep them in prayer.

Day 4: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Service Projects

UniteBoston’s Team Leader Kelly Fassett at the Boston Cares MLK Day of Service at Boston Latin School. They had a variety of opportunities, including creating conversation Jenga games and journals for English Language Learners and constructing bed frames for youth who don’t have a bed to sleep in. She helped to paint this mural – It had the word “unity” in different languages.UniteBoston’s Cambridge Neighborhood Coordinator Kiki Densamo served at the Cambridge MLK day of service by creating valentines for elders and veterans.

Night 5: Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Dinner

There was a great group at our Jamaica Plain neighborhood dinner! Good conversation about the need for economic justice, yet a recognition that systemic complexity provides no easy answers. There was enthusiasm for neighborhood-based connection and collaboration among the group to minister to the needs of the community in the likeness of Christ. Thanks to Kate Devane Brown and her husband Matt from Mosaic Boston for their gracious hospitality in opening up their home for their first neighborhood dinner!

Night 6: Medford/Malden Neighborhood Dinner

We had a great conversation last night at the Malden/Medford neighborhood dinner. There were some deep thinkers in this group – we considered questions involving the tension between unity, justice, and truth, and how we might keep unity at the forefront of our minds in the midst of conflict. It was also great to see the partnership between Mambi and Rebekah working together to host this dinner.

Night 7: Greek Orthodox Vespers Service

We had the opportunity to experience an Orthodox Great Vespers service this evening – for many of us, this was the first time ever worshipping in the Orthodox tradition. What a deep, rich, reverent style of worship that takes seriously the historical roots of the Christian faith!

We are grateful to Rev. Dr. Demetrios Tonias, Dean of the Anunciation Cathedral of Boston, for hosting us and teaching us about the Orthodox Church, such as their understanding of liturgy as the meeting of heaven and earth. People expressed gratitude for this opportunity to learn about the beautiful ancient traditions within the Orthodox Church, and the continuity with the Jewish roots of the Christian faith.

Delicious Greek food and fellowship with our Orthodox brothers who led us with the chanting of the service.

We are grateful to these clergy and priests who have served as ecumenical pillars in leading the work towards Christian unity. This group represents Catholic, Lutheran, and Greek Orthodox traditions.

Night 8: Taize Prayer Service

The concluding gathering for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was Taize Prayer at the MIT Chapel. Taize prayer connects people with God though contemplation, prayer, and melodic singing and has an international message of Christian reconciliation and unity. Together, we will continue to pray, “Lord our God, you have revealed yourself as One who wishes to bring about justice and true peace among people. Be present with your church, Lord, as we respond to your call. Set us free from pious exercises that prevent us from the true worship you choose: Sharing bread with the hungry, sharing homes with the homeless, sharing clothes with the naked, sharing hearts with our own kin. May your justice roll down like waters, your righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Lead our footsteps to stand with the poor, that we might stand with you.”

Experiences & Stories

“During the discussion at the Jamaica Plain dinner, I was struck by the emphasis on place in the week’s theme passage from Deuteronomy, which describes the need to pursue justice “in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you… that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Our conversation reminded me that my specific neighborhood is not only a calling but also a gift to me, and I am so excited to continue building these new relationships with neighbors!”
-Kate Devane Brown, UniteBoston Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Dinner Coordinator and member of Mosaic Boston

“I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Anunciation Cathedral of Boston and worshiping God in the tradition of a Greek Orthodox Vespers Service, which I attended as part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The service was beautiful in spirit and in ritual and Rev. Tonias’ explanation of the Orthodox tradition and liturgy following the service was a total treat…fascinating and inspiring and enlightening!”
-Matt Crane, Director of Christian Education for the Presbyterian Church in Sudbury, and Director of the WEE Forum for the Institute for Christian Unity

“I love how UniteBoston has embraced this important international expression of ecumenism that has been around for decades and integrated it with UB’s vision to bring all the streams of Christianity together to enjoy and learn from one another. This year’s theme “Pursue Justice, Only Justice” helped me to understand how critical “pursuit” is to not only justice, but unity and so much more. We had an enlightening discussion at the Medford/Malden neighborhood dinner I attended: We realized that unity and justice are not things we can create but only pursue, with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. And pursuit means placing yourself in settings outside your familiar faith communities – like an Orthodox or Episcopal Cathedral. Each time I set foot in these unfamiliar places, God blesses me in unexpected ways with new relationships and perspectives. I am realizing that unity and justice grow out of the pursuit of those new relationships and perspectives rather than pursuing them in and of themselves.”
-Rev. Dana Baker, UniteBoston Board Member and Pastor of Social Justice, Multicultural Ministry, Grace Chapel

“Worshipping with believers from different streams of the church at the Saturday service at St. Paul’s made me thankful for all the hard work Kelly and the team at Unite Boston have put into promoting the unity of believers in our city. I had several significant discussions with people I had never met after the service that were uplifting and which made me glad to have been at the service. God is good.”
-Pastor Dave Hill, Abundant Grace Church

“Given the divisiveness and fear in the air all around us these days, as well as the injustices that threaten to overwhelm our hearts and hope, it was deeply nourishing to stand together affirming our commitment to one another and to a better future.”
-Amy McCreath, Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston

“The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is not meant to be the only time we come together as followers of Jesus, but an energizer for our doing so throughout the year. The wonderful cornucopia of dinners, discussions and prayer services during the week here have likely lit that fire in the hearts of many. Let’s keep the fire burning! Winter is not the only season Jesus’ heart needs warming in seeing his followers join hands and hearts and voices.”
-Fr. Tom Ryan, director of the Paulist North American Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations at the Paulist Center in Boston

“At the Malden/Medford neighborhood dinner, I learned three things:
-We should make choices to get to know others of different backgrounds, even when it’s messy
-We should start each endeavor asking, “how can I seek unity in this?”
-We should remember that seeking unity means unity comes from God rather than our tired efforts to create it.
If we do these things, we will be closer to the will of God and to the rest.”
-Rebekah Kerstetter, leader of the UniteBoston Neighborhood Dinners in Malden/Medford and member of Highrock in Arlington

“I’m always encouraged to see the number and diversity of people who God has called to his service in Boston, and of their visions for his Kingdom work here. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity reminded me that the grandness of God’s redemptive work for our city (and country, and world) extends far beyond the imagination of my own congregation!”

From a huge summer worship night to our neighborhood coordinator team tripling in size, UniteBoston has built and grown in big ways this year! Thanks for joining into our community and for all the ways you contribute to building bridges across Christians towards greater gospel movement in Boston!

Here are our top ten photos from this year

January 2018 – Leaders from various church traditions at the 2018 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Fellowship Dinner

Advent is a time of preparation. It’s a time for seeking the presence of God in our world and watching for the “renewal of all things” (Matthew 19:28). In Advent, we recognize that God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). God walked among us and went to the margins to become one with the oppressed, the vulnerable, and the persecuted.

In Advent, the incarnation inspires us to reflect on how we are called to be Christ’s hands and feet to one another, and work towards alleviating systems of injustice. This week, we feature a blog by J. Wu, who is a Life Together Intern within the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern MA serving at Church Of Our Saviour in Milton. J. attended a recent gathering by Courageous Conversations Toward Racial Justice, which is a monthly series of dialogue-centered programs designed to address racial healing and justice in our community. The leadership of Courageous Conversations has five clergy from four different churches! Read about J’s experience attending this gathering below.

Also, this month the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) put forth a statement: “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love – A Pastoral Letter Against Racism.” They describe: “The entire body of bishops felt the need to address the topic of racism, once again, after witnessing the deterioration of the public discourse, and episodes of violence and animosity with racial and xenophobic overtones, that have re-emerged in American society in the last few years.”

As I stepped into the Church of Christ, I could hear the crisp clattering of metal chairs
being unfolded. This was my first time helping to coordinate an event held by Courageous Conversations Towards Racial Justice. Caught in a grip of self-consciousness, my shoulders wanted to fold up like a stacked chair. Despite joining the Steering Committee, I could scarcely believe that I could have productive interactions around the topic of racial justice with people I barely knew.

Wrestling against my urge to sink into the wallpaper and blend out of sight, I stammered
some offers to help set up chairs for the event. As I did my job, my nervous glance darted from new face to new face, before tentatively perching on the rack of colorful bolts of cloth that were arranged up front and center in the middle of the chairs.

My stomach sank. Soon, I would be called to interact with people of different racial
backgrounds and age generations than my own. Picking out a seat, close to the front but not too close, I exhaled as a clear musical note rang across the air and announced the start of the Bystander Learning Event. My eyes widened.

Nothing prepared me for an innovative form of Bystander Learning, in which the form of theater became a conduit that focused discussions about systemic injustice. Even the tight grip of my nervous jaw gave way to awe and laughter. This event illuminated the tense multitudes of emotion, compelling volunteers to eagerly share their experiences of discomfort around privilege and disadvantage.

Soon, we all practiced techniques of Bystander Intervention with True Story Theater, a
trust made possible by sharing our personal stories pertaining to interactions of racism and privilege in our everyday lives. In an almost complete opposite of my initial reactions, I leaned into the experience rather than flinching away. By the end, I carried newfound clarity as to how I can be a more involved in implementing my justice-based values rather than freeze up as a passive bystander in situations of social inequality.

Since then, I can proudly assert that Courageous Conversations Towards Racial Justice
makes space for justice-oriented learning through monthly programming. More than ever in our current political anxiety, compounded by constant media reports of inhumane actions, I need a space like Courageous Conversations that welcomes all people to participate in understanding, interrupting, and ending systems of racial injustice.

Courageous Conversations Towards Racial Justice is nearing the third year of holding
monthly events. The next event is on Tuesday, December 11th, 6:30 PM, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 112 Randolph Ave, Milton. At this gathering, they will be watching a documentary by Tim Wise, which examines what it means to be white in a nation where privilege seeps into every institutional arrangement, from education to employment to the justice system. Click here to learn more about Courageous Conversations Toward Racial Justice.